Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 61: Ch.60 Cleansing

"Yes, all yours. I'll just grab some jewels or gold before I leave," Su Ming replied casually.

After all, it was just some pocket money, a little something for peace of mind.

"Your sword broke," Cindy observed, glancing at his back. The two swords that were once sheathed there were down to just one.

"It broke. Poor quality product," Su Ming shrugged, puffing on his cigarette while keeping an eye on Bryce and Barry. "I'll grab an exhaust pipe from the junkyard later."

Cindy nodded, thinking it was only natural. She liked improvising with whatever was at hand—steel pipes, bricks, kitchen knives—anything could be a deadly weapon in the hands of a master of combat.

"So, our next target is the Court of Owls?"

"We've already crossed paths with them. Took down a Strigidae Priest, though it was just a cat. The number of priests is unclear, but there can't be too many," Su Ming said, flicking his cigarette into the rain, where it was instantly extinguished.

Cindy dropped her cigarette butt, watching it drift away in the water, the last wisp of smoke disappearing quickly. "Do you have any leads? The Court of Owls has been hiding for years. Gotham only has their legends."

"That's because everyone who's seen a Talon is dead. But, conveniently, I know where they're hiding. I even know the names of a few leaders. About eleven families are involved," Su Ming rubbed his temples and put on his helmet.

Among Gotham's wealthy elite, discounting those with criminal backgrounds like Penguin and Black Mask, and excluding the mayor, council members, and the like, killing the rest wouldn't be a mistake.

Yes, the Court of Owls had been hiding in the shadows, operating in secrecy, meeting in the dead of night, thinking they were unnoticed.

But, like all birds, they loved to nest.

As the shadowy overseers of Gotham, would their nests be shabby? Obviously not. They were the Court of Owls, but also human beings, driven by the need for finer food, better homes, and more entertainment.

And all that required money.

Money was the lifeblood of a clandestine organization. Aside from serving Barbatos in the dark, that was their only passion.

Su Ming wasn't a cop, nor was he Batman. He didn't need evidence to act. With the world on the brink of crisis, even if he killed a few by mistake, it could be seen as a sacrifice for the greater good.

After Su Ming explained his method of identifying them to Cindy, she understood. When it came to Gotham's wealthy, the best method was by their wealth.

In Gotham, apart from Wayne Enterprises, there weren't any notable companies. After Wayne, there was just Red Hood's security company and Penguin's Iceberg Lounge. Wipe out the old families with long histories, and you'd be set.

As long as there was a 30% chance, in these circumstances, it was reason enough to kill.

"Bryce won't agree to this, ha," Cindy chuckled wickedly. "You're going to wipe out all the old families in Gotham."

"She won't know. I'll distract her, and Barry will take us to Egypt. You handle Gotham," Su Ming had it all planned out. No matter how fast the Flash was, he couldn't be in two places at once.

As long as Su Ming told them the Strigidae Priest base was in Egypt, Barry would have to go since he was the transportation. Bryce would definitely go too because Su Ming planned to reveal that the Court of Owls was behind her parents' deaths.

DC Comics had a convoluted history. In some worlds, the mafia had hired the killer. In others, it was the Court of Owls. Su Ming wasn't sure what Earth -11's situation was.

Events shrouded in darkness were often unclear.

If the evidence pointed to the mafia, it could be a frame-up by the Court of Owls. If it pointed to the Court, it might be the ten major crime families framing them. Or it could be neither, and just some outside psycho pulling the strings.

In that case, blame everyone equally.

Her parents being murdered in front of her was Bryce's nightmare. She still didn't know who had killed them because the assassin was just a street thug. The mastermind remained hidden in the shadows.

If Su Ming exposed the Court's secrets here, Bryce would definitely go to Egypt with them. She wasn't seeking revenge; she wanted to confront her fears.

Barry had only two hands. Holding onto Bryce with one and Su Ming with the other, Cindy could stay behind and carry out the cleansing.

"This is a big job. After killing these people, I don't think I'll have much business left in Gotham," Cindy shrugged and put on her helmet, checking her weapons. "But so be it. If they summon Barbatos, none of us will have a future."

"Good. You can contact Barbara and get a list of Gotham's wealthy families from the past fifty years, especially those with long histories," Su Ming whispered, his speech slightly halting as hallucinations began to surface again. It felt as if someone in his memories was speaking to Slade.

Cindy nodded. While Barry and Su Ming had been dealing with the cat, Bryce had watched Gordon and the others leave for the TV station. She remembered Su Ming saying Barbara was a tech wizard, so she had asked for Barbara's phone number.

Who knew what Barbara was thinking? Maybe she foresaw a time when she'd need help from the darkness. Or perhaps she just wanted to keep in touch with Su Ming, so she gave her number.

"Got it, a massacre with no loose ends. I understand. Once you get them out of the way, I'll act," Cindy said casually, nodding her head, her tone light.

"And one more clue: the Powers family, they're all Owls. If you can break them, you might get the full list. But..." Su Ming glanced at Barry talking with Bryce on the street, struggling to keep his focus on Cindy as other voices filled his ears. "The Owls have sharp beaks."

"Ha, the Powers family? The most luxurious hotel in Gotham is theirs. It's 45 stories high, with a wooden gym, bowling alley, swimming pool, and even a Zeppelin dock on the roof." Cindy laughed joyfully, as if she had thought of something fun. "I've never been there before. Today, I'll give it a try. If I can get information in thirty seconds, great. If not, I'll send them to the roof."

"It's best to make it look like an accident. That way, when Bryce returns, we'll have some leeway," Su Ming nodded in agreement. "And be careful of the Talons."

"I know. I watched your fight with them and noted their weaknesses," Cindy nodded.

"Regular Talons are one thing, but be cautious of Talon Zero. She's special. I'm not sure what her abilities are yet." He looked down at the water pooled on the ground. This area was slightly elevated, and he could see it flowing like a stream down the street. The hallucinations were fading away. "And if you encounter a priest wearing a bird skull mask, don't use guns or blades. You'll need something with promethium to kill them."

"Understood. They're coming."

Cindy raised her head as Barbara and Barry walked over.